The Preeminince of Christ

So as to remove all doubt as to who Jesus Christ is and His complete equality with the Father,

Paul in this next section 1:15-20 presents very specific evidence that Jesus is absolutely equal with God the Father. Despite this very clear teaching as to His essence and nature as God, Arius of Alexandria, in the early 4^th century taught that Jesus was the first of all created being and superior to all else created but not eternal, not of the divine essence and nature of the Father.

This heretical theory was refuted in 325 at the Council of Nicea. The Council did not elevate Jesus to divinity but reiterated the biblical orthodox view that had been held from the beginning of the scriptures and the church. The heresy was reintroduced by Socinus during the Reformation and into America by William Channing and others. It is a basic teaching of the Mormons, JW's and other cults and heresies today.

In the first century this passage, as well as the above verses, would have also shown that Caesar's claims to be Lord and divine were ridiculous. He could not be compared to Jesus. He was a fraud and so was the false limited Christ presented by the false teachers then and today.

Gerald Tilley